


The Niijima Sisters

by Circuit



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Gen, Trans Female Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-15
Updated: 2017-12-15
Packaged: 2019-02-14 23:11:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13018167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Circuit/pseuds/Circuit
Summary: "I want you to... call me your sister."





	The Niijima Sisters

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this while feeling really down as a bit of self-indulgence of my headcanon to try and cheer myself up. I hope people like it.

It was April 23, 2003. Makoto and Sae were spending the afternoon at a children’s park, the now five-years-old Makoto happily walking around with the just-opened birthday present; a Buchimaru plush.

“Thank you so much, Sis!” Makoto said, giving Sae a big smile.

“It was our dad that bought it for you,” Sae said, smiling.

“But you brought it to me and brought me here,” Makoto said, rocking back and forth as they walked. “Even though you just got out of school!”

Sae gave a small laugh. “Why don’t you burn off some of that energy while I buy us both something to drink?”

“Okay!” Makoto said, heading off towards one of the park's artificial hills, plushie in hand. “What do you think we should do, Buchi-kun?” 

Makoto held the plush up, looking around with it, giving a giggle as if it replied.

“Are you playing with a stupid panda toy?” a boy’s voice asked.

“Huh?” Makoto turned to see a group of three boys climbing up the hill up. “Are you talking about Buchi?”

“Buchi?” one of them asked with a snicker.

“Do you like Buchi?” Makoto asked obliviously when one of the boys yanked the plush away. “Ah, hey! Give that back!”

“You’re such a loser for playing by yourself,” one of the boys said, shoving her.

“I’m not a loser!” Makoto countered. “Both my dad and Sis like me!”

“Really, not even your mom?” The boy stuck his tongue out at her.

“...mom’s not…” Makoto began, getting cut off by the boys laughing. “...give back my Buchi!”

“What are you going to-”

“Give it back,” Sae’s voice said coldly.

The three boys froze and turned around. Despite her still being in the sailor fuku school uniform of her middle school, the bullies began wilting under her glare.

“Here’s your stupid girly toy back,” one of the boys said.

“Girly…?” Makoto repeated, frowning as they handed the Buchimaru plush back.

“Let’s go,” one of the boys said as Sae began walking up towards them.

“Such jerks…” Sae muttered as she stared after them. She turned towards Makoto, frowning. “They didn’t hurt you, did they?”

“No, I… thank you, Sis…” Makoto mumbled. “You’re so cool…”

“You’re probably the only person to think that,” Sae smiled. “Come on, let’s go home or something. I’ll make us dinner instead.”

“Okay,” Makoto said, taking Sae’s hand and walking out of the park with her. “Sis, why did they call my toy girly?”

“I suppose they assume plushies like that are for girls,” Sae shrugged. “Don’t worry, though. You’re not weird for wanting one. It’s just what you’re passionate about.”

“I’m not weird?” Makoto asked nervously.

“No, Makoto,” Sae smiled. “You are the coolest little brother I could ask for.”

“...yeah,” Makoto said, looking down sadly.

~~~

Makoto sat on the couch watching TV with the Buchimaru-kun plushie while Sae was making their food. 

_Girly…_ The earlier conversation kept repeating in Makoto’s mind. _Sis is so cool, so why is ‘girly’ bad? Why can’t I be girly?_ She glanced over to her sister. “Sis?”

“Yes, Makoto?” Sae asked, looking over.

“Um…” Makoto hesitated. She felt her face heat up as she began picturing herself wearing a similar uniform to Sae. _Why am I scared…?_

“Makoto, are you okay?” Sae asked, walking over. “You seem nervous.”

“...can you call me sister?” Makoto mumbled.

“...I’m sorry?” Sae frowned.

“I want you to… call me your sister,” Makoto said, grabbing her plush to hug tightly.

Sae’s face was blank for a moment. “...is this about what happened at the park? Makoto, I don’t want you to think you need to be called feminine terms because of what they-”

Makoto sniffled slightly, her eyes tearing up.

“Ah, hey, don’t cry…" Sae said nervously. She cleared her throat. "...sis."

Makoto wiped her eyes, and looked up. “...huh?”

“Sister,” Sae said softly.

Makoto leaped up, suddenly pulling Sae into a hug with a giggle. “Thank you! That sounds nice! Thank you, Sis!”

“O-of course, Makoto,” Sae said in surprise. She paused. “Um… do you still want me to call you Makoto?”

“Um… yes,” Makoto said, giving it thought. “Mom… gave me that name...”

“...well, it can still be used for girls,” Sae said quietly. “That’s… definitely what you want to be, right?”

“I wanna be like you, sis,” Makoto said. “It makes me… happy. That’s not weird, right?”

“...I told you, you’re not weird,” Sae said, returning the hug. They stayed like that for a moment before Sae sniffed the air. “Um… our food might be burning. Let me go check on that…”

“Mhm,” Makoto said, happily sitting back down.

Sae let out a breath as she took the pan she was using off the heat. _Okay… This was not how I expected to spend his birthday. Or… her birthday, now. How’s dad going to take this?_

“Sis?” Makoto asked.

“Yes, s-sister?” Sae replied.

“Um… can girls be cops?” Makoto asked.

“...I suppose,” Sae said. “But… do you really want to be a cop? That’s really dangerous…”

“I wanna be like dad, too!” Makoto said.

“Of course you do,” she sighed. _...alright, dad will probably still be fine with Makoto. Nothing to be scared of there. But…_ “Sister?”

“Yes, Sis?” Makoto giggled.

“...a lot of people are going to be like those bullies,” Sae said. “Especially in Japan, society doesn't really understand um… people like you that want to change like this.”

“...oh,” Makoto said, looking down.

“That’s not upsetting to you, is it?” Sae asked. “I just want to make sure-”

“...you’ll be on my side, though, right?” Makoto asked.

“...of course,” Sae said.

“And dad, too?”

“We’ll let him know when he gets home, but I’m certain he will be,” Sae nodded.

“Then I’ll be happy,” Makoto said, looking up again. “I owe you, Sis.”

“You don’t owe me anything for being there for you,” Sae said with a slight laugh. “So, how about we move to the kitchen table to eat, okay?”

“Oh, I need to wash up first!” Makoto said, jumping off the couch and running into the bathroom.

Sae watched her go before plating up their food. _This is going to be such an ordeal. But… I’ll always try to take care of you._


End file.
